God’s modus operandi is usually the opposite of what we think. We tend to apply our earthly principles to heavenly matters and then wonder why things don’t work out as we think they should! But God’s Heavenly Kingdom operates on completely different principles to what we on earth are used to.

If God gave us everything we thought we needed, even “spiritual” things like wisdom, love, joy etc, we would take them and think we owned them and deserved them. We would see those things as ours and would have no need to depend on God.

There is no greater gift we can give others than the gift of ourselves: our friendship, our love, our time, our thoughts, our lives… and it is exactly the same with God: He gives HIMSELF! Instead of giving us things, God gives us one huge Gift: Himself in His Son. It is easier for us to give gifts of things, than to simply be a gift to someone. Perhaps it would be easier for God to give us things than to BE Himself in us, but if He were to give us Love as a thing, we would think it was us that was loving; if He were to give us Wisdom as a thing, we would think that it was us who was wise…

For Him to be Love, Light, Wisdom, Peace, Joy and everything we not only need but also want, we need to accept His Life instead of ours, and His Way instead of ours. But His Way is not our way, and the principles of His upside-down and back-to-front Kingdom are the opposite of our own…

It is when I know emptiness, that I know Your fullness;When I know silence, I know You are speaking;When I stop, I see You begin;When I know death, then I experience real Life;
Only when I know how weak I am, do I know true Strength.

It is when I trust like a little child, that I am spiritually mature;
When I am bound to You, then I know true Freedom;When I am broken, I know Restoration;When I can’t carry on, You carry me on;
Only when I see who I really am, do You reveal who You really are.

It is when I am in darkness, that I find Light;
When I am alone in the wilderness, I have entered the Promised land;
When I am decreased, You are increased;
When I am stupid, I learn Your Wisdom;
Only when I give up, do You take over.

It is when I know real Rest, that I am working;
When I realise how poor I am, I am becoming wealthy in Your Kingdom;
When I am misunderstood, I understand You more;
When I am rejected, I am really accepted;
Only when I am tested, do You become my Testimony.

It is when I see how wrong I am, that I discover how Right You are;When I mess up, then I know You as Grace;When I know I am lost, that I am found;
When I lose my mind, that I gain Your mind;
Only when I consider myself last, are You really First.

It is when I have nothing, that You become Everything;When I can’t see anything, that You reveal everything;
When I stop relying on myself, that You prove everything;
When I can do nothing, I see You do everything;
And only when I am nothing, can You be seen in me as “I Am Everything”!

Instead of giving me wisdom, You give Yourself as WisdomInstead of giving me love, You give Yourself as LoveInstead of giving me truths, You give Yourself as TruthInstead of giving me peace, You give Yourself as Peace

Instead of giving me many things You give me One Thing: everything You are…

“Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise. The wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. That’s why Scripture says, “God catches the wise in their cleverness.” Again Scripture says, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are pointless.” So don’t brag about people. Everything belongs to you… You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God… What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? You are partners with Christ Jesus because of God. Jesus has become our wisdom sent from God, our righteousness, our holiness, and our ransom from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” “My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So if Christ keeps giving me His power, I will gladly brag about how weak I am. Yes, I am glad to be weak or insulted or mistreated or to have troubles and sufferings, if it is for Christ. Because when I am weak, I am strong.” (1 Cor. 3:18-23; 4:7; 2 Cor. 12:9,10; 1 Cor. 1:30,31).

The way of the Wind is the way of greatest emptiness;The way for the Water is the place of the lowest depth;The way for the Lightning is along the line of the greatest weakness.‘If any man lack’ – there is God’s condition for His inflow. – Lilias Trotter